The present application relates generally to personalizing a product at the point of sale and more particularly relates to selecting and applying a personalized expression to a product at the point of sale.
Product manufacturers and/or distributors often package a given product in any number of different formats or appearances. The same product may come in different size packaging, different types of packaging, and/or with different types of packaging graphics or designs. For example, a beverage may come in containers such bottles, cans, boxes, pouches, and the like; the container may come in different sizes, shapes, or configurations; and the container may come with packaging graphics that may vary with different promotional campaigns, or even vary with the seasons, geography, current events, or otherwise.
The variations in packaging, however, generally are determined by the manufacturer and/or the distributor of the product. Further, these variations generally are determined prior to the point of sale. The individual consumer may never have any input in the appearance of the packaging. Rather, the consumer is generally left to choose from whatever packaging may be available at a given retail location.
Consumers, however, have often sought new and unique ways to express their individuality and personal preferences. For example, consumers have long worn T-shirts or other items with any number of different messages, designs, or other types of self-expression thereon. Likewise, consumers have long worn articles emblazoned with the logos of their favorite sporting teams, musical group, cities, or even consumer products. Once again, however, although a consumer may be able to purchase an article or a product with an expression of some sort thereon, the consumer rarely has an opportunity to personalize that product or connect the given product with a selected expression.
What is needed, therefore, is a means by which a consumer can personalize product packaging with an expression that suits his or her own personal preferences. The personalization means should be easy to use and available to the consumer at or near the point of sale. The personalization means, however, should be relatively inexpensive and not interfere with the consumer""s enjoyment or use of the product.
The present invention thus provides a point of sale personalization system for a product. The system may include one or more sleeves and an application device for affixing one of the sleeves to the product. The sleeves may include one or more expressions thereon. The application device also may include a barrier to block access temporarily thereto when the application device is activated.
Specific embodiments include that the application device may be a thermal device, such as a shrink-wrap device. The shrink-wrap device may include a product tunnel. The product tunnel may include a turntable. The turntable may rotate at about five (5) to about ten (10) revolutions per minute. The product tunnel also may include a number of ventilation apertures. A heating chamber with a heating element may be positioned adjacent to one of the ventilation apertures. The heating element may operate at about 1,400 to about 3,000 degrees Celsius. An air movement device may recirculate air through the heating element and the product tunnel. The barrier may include a product tunnel door positioned adjacent to the product tunnel.
The application device also may include a computer for use in selecting one of the expressions for use on the sleeves. The sleeves may be made out of a thermoplastic material and may be recyclable.
A method of the present invention provides for personalizing a product at the point of sale. The method may include the steps of providing one or more of the products for sale, providing one or more of the expressions to be applied to the products, and providing an application device for use by the consumer. The consumer may then select one of the expressions to be used with the product, place the expression on the product, and place the product within the application device so as to affix the expression thereon. The product may be a beverage. The expressions may include one or more of the sleeves sized to surround the product. The application device may include a thermal device to affix the expression to the product.
A further method of the present invention provides for personalizing a product at the point of sale by a consumer. The method may include the steps of selecting a product, selecting an expression to be applied to the product, and affixing the expression on the product. The expression may include a shrink-wrap material. The affixing step may include applying heat to the shrink-wrap material. The selecting step may include selecting from a number of the expressions and may include creating the expression with the aid of a computer. The product may be a beverage.
The method may further include the step of purchasing the product prior to the step of selecting an expression to be applied to the product. The method may further include the step of placing the expression on the product prior to the step of affixing the expression on the product.
A further method of the present invention provides for personalizing a product at the point of sale. The method may include the steps of selecting a product, purchasing the product, selecting a shrink-wrap sleeve to be applied to the product, placing the sleeve on the product, and affixing the sleeve on the product. The sleeve may include an expression thereon. The affixing step may include applying heat to the sleeve.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.